Miller Place High School Celebrates World Kindness Day
Miller Place, N.Y. (November 2019)—In celebration of World Kindness Day, the School Improvement Team (SIT) Committee at Miller Place High School welcomed students with positive affirmations and inspirational messages throughout the building. The day was devoted to promoting generous acts that bring people of every type together and emphasize the power behind small and large kind gestures. Nearly 900 Post-It Notes covered students’ lockers and classroom doors with phrases like, “In a world where you can be anything—be kind” and “you’ve got this.” World Kindness Day, an initiative of the World Kindness Movement, highlights good deeds in the community by focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness that binds people.
Students in LADSBS Promote ALS Awareness with Ride for Life Founder
Miller
Place, N.Y.
(November 2019)—Miller Place School District (MPSD) recently welcomed
back Ride for Life Founder Chris Pendergast for a special assembly at Laddie A.
Decker Sound Beach School (LADSBS). Mr. Pendergast, a beloved member of the
community and courageous fighter of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS), returned to the District to speak with elementary students about his journey
over the last several years and inspiration behind founding Ride for Life, a
charity that raises money and awareness for ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“Every
year, we welcome Mr. Pendergast for his heartening story of perseverance and
commitment,” said Dr. Marianne Cartisano, superintendent of Miller Place School
District. “He is a special member of the Miller Place-Sound Beach community,
and it’s an honor to have him speak to our students and inspire them to play
their part in raising awareness for such an important cause.”
Students at LADSBS listened attentively to Mr. Pendergast’s story about his advocacy efforts and how his devotion and perseverance inspired the Ride for Life organization. The presentation relayed an important message for students to never give up and overcoming the odds. Students were also amazed by Mr. Pendergast’s ability to utilize advanced technology equipment to type using his eyes and speak through a computerized voice.
Ride
for Life is an annual public awareness and fundraising campaign to spread ALS
awareness. Each year,
ALS patients ride their electric wheelchairs across Long Island as they are
escorted by hundreds of students from local schools and community groups.
Miller Place, N.Y. (November 2019)—As the Star-Spangled Banner played in the background, Mrs. Shaw’s second grade class at Andrew Muller Primary School (AMPS) in Miller Place opened its doors to United States military veterans to thank them for their service. After the students and military veterans began the day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the class’s special guests then taught the students about the importance of respecting the flag as a symbol of America and the freedoms they enjoy daily. The second-grade students then participated in a fill-in-the-blanks exercise by completing the phrase, “I think veterans are ____ because ____.” Following collection and sharing of their responses, the students and military veterans read “Veterans Day,” by Jessica Hawkins. Near the end of the visit, one of the veterans gave the students a demonstration of how he played the bugle during his time in the military. Before the veterans departed, the students presented letters of appreciation and showed their respect by saluting them.
This event is part of the District’s
initiative to teach students the meaning of Veterans Day and raise student
awareness about what it means to be a member
of the military during Veterans Day.
Local Elementary Students Learn How Every Day Materials Can Conduct Science Experiments
Miller Place, N.Y. (November 2019)—Students at Miller Place School District’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School recently learned how household items can teach lessons in science. The “Dirtmeister,” Steve Tomecek, taught students how materials such as coffee cans, soda bottles, mixing bowls and a toilet plunger can help students explore the science behind gravity, air pressure and sound. Students participated in the experiments during the assembly and were challenged to repeat them at home with the help of their parents.
Miller Place, N.Y. (November 2019)—Miller Place School District recently hosted representatives of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office to discuss the effects of vaping with sophomore and junior students in Miller Place High School’s auditorium. Deputy Sheriff Investigator Michael Kern and Public Relations Assistant Kelly Mazzotta educated students on the implications of nicotine and illicit drug use on human brains and bodies, the long-term effects of nicotine and drug use, and emphasized the various laws surrounding substance use and minors.
Miller
Place, N.Y. (November 2019)—Miller Place
students at North Country Road Middle School (NCRMS) proudly participated in
Red Ribbon Week, a week dedicated to promoting drug awareness and empowering
each student to live drug-free lives. This year, the District welcomed
representatives of the Suffolk County Police Department and the Long Island
Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Red Ribbon Week serves as a call
to action for our students and community members to become empowered to make
healthy life decisions,” said Dr. Marianne Cartisano, superintendent of Miller
Place Schools. “As role models and educators, our staff members and administrators
are dedicated to informing our students about the importance of choosing
drug-free lifestyles through initiatives like Red Ribbon Week, as well as
several other programs and guest speakers the District provides throughout the
year.”
NCRMS
kicked off Red Ribbon Week this year with a visit from Officer George Lynagh of
the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD). Officer Lynagh met with each grade
level to discuss his career working in NYC law enforcement prior to SCPD, the
dangers youth face on a daily basis, and the destructive implications of drug
abuse.
Officer
Charles Bernard, Long Island Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent, spoke
to NCRMS’s 7th and 8th grade students about the dangers and effects of drug
abuse. He utilized real-life scenarios to depict the local drug issues on Long
Island. While sharing a powerful message, Agent Bernard encouraged positive
decision making for the District’s adolescents.
Throughout Red Ribbon Week students showcased their artistry and
creativity during a building-wide poster contest. Students with the most
informative posters promoting important messages of Red Ribbon Week were
selected as winners. This year’s winners of the poster contest are Amelia Avalos, 6th grade; Emily Darragh,
7th grade; and Mary Duffy, 8th grade.
Red Ribbon Week was established in 1985 to honor
Enrique Camarana, a drug enforcement officer who gave his life in the fight
against drugs. The Red Ribbon became a symbol of awareness to reduce the use of
illegal drugs and violence. As the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign
in the country, Red Ribbon serves as a vehicle for communities and individuals
to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of our children through a commitment
to drug prevention and education.
